The last decade has witnessed a renaissance in the development of approaches to prepare samples with high nuclear spin polarizations with the goal of increasing signal intensities in nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectra and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) images. These approaches have included high frequency, microwave driven dynamic nuclear polarization (DNP), para hydrogen induced polarization (PHIP), polarization of noble gases such as He, Xe and more recently Kr, and optically pumped nuclear polarization of semiconductors and photosynthetic reaction centers and other proteins. Dynamic nuclear polarization is an approach in which the large spin polarization in an electron spin system is transferred to a nuclear spin reservoir via microwave irradiation of the electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectrum. The electron spin system in DNP is provided by a endogenous or exogenous paramagnetic polarizing agent. Most current research in these areas is aimed at the study of biological systems in aqueous environment, therefore, water soluble free radical compounds are desired. Many stable radicals, however, have water solubilities that limit their usefulness in aqueous systems. Moreover, a recent attempt to produce a water-soluble radicals with suitable properties for DNP had limited success (Dane and Swager, J. Org. Chem. 75(10):3533-3536 (2010)).